Innovation Award Winners from CES

LAS VEGAS — The trade show floor at CES 2017 doesn’t open until Thursday, but we already know a few dozen of the coolest products here.

The folks who put on CES, the Consumer Technology Association, have selected 35 products as worthy of the CES 2017 Best of Innovations Award,  defined as “a product or technology that scores above the threshold set for a specific category,” says the association.

The CTA recognizes honorees among 28 award categories: In several categories, including wearables and smart home, there are multiple winners.

Here’s a sampling:

— Augmented reality smartphone

The brand new Phab Pro 2 smartphone from Lenovo brings Google’s Tango augmented reality technology to the phone for $499. Think Pokemon Go outside of the gaming world. As the company says, “look through the Phab 2 Pro, and you’ll see objects and information overlaid onto the real world.” Examples include visualizing a new table or sofa at a store and how it would look in the home.

—The smart dog collar

Link’s AKC collar promises to track where Fido is, and helps you find him should he get lost. The collar, just out, sells for $149, and there’s a monthly subscription charge as well, starting at $7 a month. The idea of a smart collar isn’t new — there are many out there, including WUF and Squeaker. CTA didn’t specific why it chose Link, so we look forward to checking it out on the show floor.

— Do-it-yourself eye exams

EyeQue looks to bring the eye exam into the home, via a smartphone app and a $29.99 optical device that connects to the app. The company is currently raising money for its product by taking pre-orders on a Kickstarter campaign that ends Wednesday. So far, nearly $120,000 has been raised, far exceeding the initial $25,000 goal.

The rest of the winners:

—Aipoly Vision — described as artificial intelligence that allows mobile phones to recognize thousands of items to assist the blind and visually impaired with exploring their surroundings.

—Cota Tile – Traditional home ceiling tile that delivers wireless power without plugs and pads.

—Cubit – A layout placement tool.

—Goodix Live Fingerprint Scanner – Biometric security that determines your heartbeat signature from your finger.

—HP Spectre – The new thin notebook from HP Inc.

—Integrated Connectivity Cluster – An all-in-one information and communication system for motorcycles.

—K’Track G – A wearable tracker that allows diabetics to measure in real time their blood glucose without blood extraction.

—Lenovo Yoga Book – The 2-in-1 tablet.

—Levitating Speaker – Crazybaby’s floating speaker atop a speaker for a new way of listening to music.

—Motiv Ring – A smart device to track your activity, heart rate and sleep.

—Moto Mods – A tool to turn the Motorola Moto Z smartphone into a projector or boombox.

—Nemonic – A design tool.

—Nighthawk X10 R9000 Smart WiFi router – promises faster Internet for gamers.

—Obsidian 3D Panoramic Camera – looks to bring virtual reality to a new level.

—OSSIC X – described as headphones for “3D listening.”

—Paradigm Persona 9H – a new line of audio speakers.

— Powerup FPV – a paper airplane VR drone. The airplane generates a live video stream to the included VR cardboard Viewer.

—Predator Z301CT monitor – a curved computer monitor from Acer.

—ReSound ENZO2 – a smart hearing aid that connects to an iPhone app.

—Robo R2 Smart 3D Printer – Connects to mobile device for the latest in 3D creations.

—S3 LiDAR Sensor – a solid state sensor used for computer-assisted perception for safe and autonomous cars.

—Samsung Frame – turns a Samsung TV into art. 

—Sleep Number 360 Smart Bed – The mattress includes a proprietary algorithm and machine learning to intuitively sense and automatically adjust all night for an optimized sleep experience.

—Smart Remote by Sevenhugs – a contextual control system for connected homes.

—SVS SB16-Ultra Subwoofer – a 16-inch driver on a mega-speaker.

—The Z Gaming Mouse – It offers Tilt Pivot, Roll, & Analogue Buttons

—Tilt Brush – the game Google created for the HTC Vive virtual reality system that lets you paint virtually.

—Tobii Dynavox PCEye Mini – an eye tracker for those who do not have use of their hands, “the device enables users to control a computer, laptop or tablet using only their eyes.”

—uBolt – a secure personal identity wearable bracelet.

—XGIMI Z4 Aurora Screenless TV – a device that projects TV onto “any surface,” with built-in Harman Kardon speakers.

—Xooloo Digital Coach – an alternative to parental controls that “allows parents to understand and participate in their child’s digital life.”

—Zera Food Recycler – a device to convert household food waste into homemade fertilizer.

Last year’s award winners include the Lily, a “flying camera” drone that was scheduled for summer, and later fall release, but never made it to consumers’ hands. Another winner was the $299 Oura “smart” ring to measure and analyze your body. It went on sale, but as of press time, hasn’t become a consumer mass hit.